Ivy Tech School of Public Affairs & Social Services
Criminal Justice
Work towards justice
What You'll Learn
Make a tangible impact on your community by studying and working in criminal justice. In the Ivy Tech Criminal Justice program, students can focus on the area of study that most aligns with their goals:
Law enforcement
Corrections/probation
Court services
Public, private & business security
Forensics and Cyber Security and Investigations
Youth Services
Within the program, you can expect to do the following in classes:
Draw upon academic journals and scholarly research to support your own work.
Learn to think critically about complex social and legal issues.
Gain an understanding of the history of criminal justice, law, and the three components of the system (policing, courts, and corrections).
Study ethical standards in criminal justice and how they have evolved over time.
Examine diversity within criminal justice and demonstrate an ability to interact with people of differing backgrounds.
Explore the theoretical frameworks used to explain criminal behavior and the function of the justice system.
Analyze how political and social contexts can impact definitions of crime and the development and application of the law.
Define crime and identify issues in its measurement.
Look at current criminal justice policies meant to reduce crime and punish and rehabilitate offenders.
Law Enforcement focused students will learn how to provide assistance, respond to emergency calls, investigate crime scenes, and testify in court.
Corrections/Probation focused students will learn about correctional policies and practices, criminal sentencing, jails, prisons, alternative sentencing, prisoner rights, rehabilitation, and community corrections including probation and parole.
Court Services focused students will gain skills in community relations, procedural law, court processes, and cultural awareness, as well as criminal law.
Public, Private & Business Security and Forensics/Cyber focused students will conduct risk/threat assessments, emergency management plans, and security survey reports. They'll also design security, crime, and loss prevention programs for businesses.
Career Options
Criminal justice careers span many roles, so whether you want to be an advocate for victims of domestic violence or work in your local police department, there are options for you.
The Ivy Tech Criminal Justice program provides the academic foundation you need to continue your studies or pursue a career, depending on which program you choose.
Think this could be the path for you? Picture yourself in one of the following roles:
Law Enforcement
Court Reporter
Court Clerk
Bailiff
Interpreter
Defense Attorney
Prosecutor
Judge
Magistrate
Public Defender
Criminalist
Forensic Technician, Scientist, or Specialist
Corrections Officer
Probation Officer
Local Police Officer
Sheriff/Deputy
Substance Abuse Counselor
911 Dispatcher
Indiana State Police
Conservation Officer
Homeland Security
Prosecutor
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)
Private Investigator
Case Manager
Group Counselor
Warden
Jail Administrator or Chaplain Assistant
Youth Services Worker
Child Advocate
Victims Advocate
Degree Types Offered
Credential Type
Associate Degree – Career-Ready Degree
Associate Degree – Transferable Degree
Long-Term Certificate
– known as a Technical Certificate (TC)
Short-Term Certificates
– known as Certificates (CT)
You'd like to begin working in the field immediately upon graduating from your associate degree program
You're currently working in the field and looking to complete a program to help you advance
You'd like to pursue further education at a four-year institution upon completion of your associate degree
You're currently working in criminal justice and would like to advance your career or supplement your professional experience with academic knowledge
You're an aspiring criminal justice professional and want to gain general academic knowledge of the field
You'd like to complete a certificate while pursuing your associate degree
You’re looking to break into the criminal justice field by developing specialized skillsets specific to careers in law enforcement, the courts, and corrections
You're working towards an associate degree and would like to complete a certificate in the process
You're a corrections professional seeking career advancement or additional skills
You're looking to break into the corrections field and need the skills to do so
You're a policing professional (or aspire to be one) and wish to complete a certificate to aid in your career advancement
You're a School Resource Officer (or would like to be) seeking to obtain the skills needed to succeed
You’re looking to break into the criminal justice field by developing specialized skillsets specific to careers in law enforcement, the courts, and corrections
Note: Program availability varies by location and not all program tracks are offered at each campus/location.
Associate Degree – Career-Ready Degree
The Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice is an affordable, two-year degree program that prepares you for entry-level positions in the criminal justice field. In addition to general education and program coursework, students must complete a Capstone course and an end-of-program learning assessment.
The Associate of Science in Criminal Justice gives you the foundation you need to transfer to a four-year degree program and later begin working within security, law enforcement, investigation, court services, probation, or parole at the local, state, or federal levels. You can save upward of $10,000 by completing your first two years at Ivy Tech and then transferring!
Talk to our transfer advocates for information about continuing your education after completing your associate degree at Ivy Tech. You are also encouraged to contact the university to which you plan to transfer. Note that admission is not guaranteed just by enrolling in the Criminal Justice program. You will need to be admitted to the institution you intend to transfer to.
Required Courses
Associate degree graduates must complete a total of 60 credit hours:
Long-Term Certificate
known as a Technical Certificate (TC)
The Technical Certificate (TC) in Criminal Justice will empower current and aspiring criminal justice professionals with an academic understanding of the criminal justice system. Students hone their critical thinking, comprehension, and technical skills.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Criminal Justice is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level criminal justice careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 30 credit hours:
Short-Term Certificates
known as Certificates (CT)
The Criminal Justice Certificate (CT) is a great way to start your career in criminal justice quickly. You will learn tactical skills needed for careers in law enforcement, the courts, and corrections, so that you can become a valuable member of a team right away. Once you've completed this certificate, you may choose to continue your education to get a promotion or specialize in a specific realm of criminal justice.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Criminal Justice is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level criminal justice careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 18 credit hours.
The Professionalism in Corrections Certificate (CT) gives current and aspiring corrections professionals foundational academic knowledge of the criminal justice system. You'll strengthen critical thinking skills, comprehension, and technical skills over the course of the program.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Criminal Justice is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level criminal justice careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 18 credit hours.
The Professionalism in Policing Certificate (CT) builds foundational knowledge in the criminal justice system for current or future policing professionals. The course provides opportunities to grow critical thinking, comprehension, and technical skills as they relate to policing.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Criminal Justice is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level criminal justice careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 18 credit hours.
The School Resource Officer Training Certificate (CT) teaches valuable knowledge and skills regarding the criminal justice system, juvenile delinquency, and how to work with youth. The course is designed for current or aspiring school resource officers who wish to sharpen their critical thinking, technical, and comprehension skills as they pertain to the field.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Criminal Justice is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level criminal justice careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 18 credit hours.
Are you the person everyone looks towards when there is a difficult problem to solve? Are you creative and able to develop solutions with safety and respect for all? In criminal justice we not only protect and serve our communities, but we ensure justice and fairness. You will be challenged to train and cross train into many different fields so that your opportunities are unlimited.
Criminal justice needs individuals who are:
Problem Solvers
Creative
Compassionate
Honorable- perseverance and moral courage
Able to De-escalate
Able to develop Situational Awareness
Sound Like You?
If you identify with the traits above, criminal justice may be the path for you! Take the next step to get started or speak with your local advisor to learn more.
Students must demonstrate competency through appropriate assessment or earning a grade of “C” or better in one of the following individual or grouped courses:
ENGL 083 Reading Strategies for College and ENGL 093 Introduction to College Writing
ENGL 095 Integrated Reading and Writing
ENGL 075 Co-Requisite Integrated Reading and Writing
No Expiration of Credits
There is no expiration date for course credits that were earned in previous years from Ivy Tech Community College.
Transfer Credit for Prerequisite Courses
Prerequisite courses completed at colleges other than Ivy Tech will only be considered for general education selection points if transfer credit has been awarded and courses appear on the Ivy Tech transcript prior to the application deadline.
TR grades are not recognized by the online application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that transfer credit has been awarded and that TR grades are updated to transfer letter grades (TA, TB, TC) on their Ivy Tech transcript.
It is recommended that college transcripts be submitted to the Registrar’s office for evaluation and transfer credit at least four weeks prior to the program application deadline to ensure adequate time for processing.
Criminal Justice Courses
Descriptions of criminal justice courses can be found in our online course catalog.
View required classes and course descriptions for:
See when specific courses will be offered by searching our course list in Schedule Builder. First, select the semester you’re looking for and then enter the name of the course in the search bar.
If you’re a current student, upcoming courses are easy to find in Schedule Builder in MyIvy.
Course Formats
Criminal Justice courses are available via in-person, online, virtual, and blended formats.
Giving Credit Where Credit is Due
If you've been serving your community already, thank you for your service! Ivy Tech wants to ensure you're spending time and tuition learning new skills that will make you stronger in your career path. As such, we offer credit for previous professional experience that our students have. Please see below for credit that will count toward your Ivy Tech program requirements based on existing certifications you have.
Certification You Have
Credits Awarded
Site Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board (ILETB) Certification or Kentucky Law Enforcement Council - Law Enforcement Basic Training
CRIM 110 Introduction to Law Enforcement
CRIM 111 Intro to Traffic Enforcement and Investigation
CRIM 113 Criminal Investigation
CRIM 205 Procedural Criminal Law
CRIM 211 Criminal Law
CRIM 212 Use of Force
CRIM 213 Field Practices
CRIM 280 Internship
Indiana Department of Corrections - Correctional Training Institute
CRIM 130 Introduction to Corrections
CRIM 280 Internships
CRIM 230 Community-Based Corrections
Indiana Offender Workforce Development Specialist Certification
CRIM 231 Special Issues in Corrections
CRIM 28x Special Topics in Criminal Justice
Indiana Department of Corrections - Juvenile Academy
CRIM 150 Juvenile Justice System
Completion of Indiana State Police Academy
CRIM 110 Introduction to Law Enforcement
CRIM 111 Introduction to Traffic Enforcement and Investigation
CRIM 113 Criminal Investigation
CRIM 205 Procedural Criminal Law
CRIM 211 Criminal Law
CRIM 212 Use of Force
CRIM 213 Field Practices
CRIM 280 Internship
Marion County Sheriff's Training Certification
CRIM 110 Introduction to Law Enforcement
CRIM 130 Introduction to Corrections
CRIM 205 Procedural Criminal Law
CRIM 211 Criminal Law
Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA)
CRIM 110 Introduction to Law Enforcement
CRIM 111 Introduction to Traffic Enforcement and Investigation
CRIM 113 Criminal Investigation
CRIM 205 Procedural Criminal Law
CRIM 211 Criminal Law
CRIM 212 Use of Force
CRIM 213 Field Practices
CRIM 280 Internship
Any Law Enforcement Training Board LETB training in the school resource curriculum
CRIM 235 School Resource Officer
Big Dreams? Go for Honors
If you're motivated and want a more robust, personalized academic experience, consider enhancing your associate degree in Criminal Justice by pursuing an Honors pathway. Honors courses are fully virtual with opportunities to meet and network with honors students and faculty across the state. The coursework is designed to support a student’s spirit of inquiry and intellectual growth, as well as foster multicultural awareness and leadership. View eligibility requirements
Graduating with a Criminal Justice degree with an Honors pathway can help you stand out as a high-achieving college student, boost your resume, and help you land an acceptance letter to a top four-year college or university.
The Ivy Tech application is free and easy—you don’t need a certain test score, GPA, or class rank to get started at Ivy Tech. Applying takes about 10-15 minutes and can be completed entirely online.
No Application Deadlines
Ivy Tech does not have a deadline for admission. Our 8-week class sessions start throughout the year—in January, March, June, August, and October—and there is no hard deadline for applying for any of the start dates. It's important, though, to apply early enough that you'll be able to complete all the degree planning, financial aid, and registration activities that need to happen before your first day. We recommend you apply about one month before you intend to start classes. See upcoming start dates
Steps to Apply
(1) Apply to Ivy Tech
If you’ve never applied to Ivy Tech Community College before (or if it’s been two years since you last attended classes here), your first step is to apply to Ivy Tech. You can apply online or in person. To apply in person, reach out toyour local admissions team and arrange a meeting. Or, stop by any campus on any Tuesday for Tuesdays@TheTech to receive personal assistance with applying and registering for classes.
After you submit your application, you'll be asked to upload documentation—such as SAT/ACT/PSAT scores or high school and college transcripts—that can assess your readiness for college-level coursework and help us make sure you are taking classes that are the right fit for you. How to upload assessment documents
If you don't have your scores or transcripts at your fingertips, don’t worry. Go ahead and submit your application. You can go back to upload assessment documents at any time until the end of the term for which you applied.
(3) Look for a Confirmation Email
Once your application is processed, you will receive a confirmation email at the email address provided on your application. Typically the email will arrive within 1-2 business days of submission, but during peak processing periods (April-June) could take up to 5-10 business days.
The email will contain instructions on how to register for classes, as well as important information regarding your Ivy Tech student portal (MyIvy account), tuition, payment options, and more.
(4) Create an Account in MyIvy
MyIvy is Ivy Tech's online student portal. Students use MyIvy to check e-mail, register for classes, pay tuition, manage financial aid, get the latest news and announcements, and much more. MyIvy also contains "QuickLinks" to the Ivy Tech websites and online tools you will use most often. Learn more about MyIvy
Before you can register for classes you will need to submit documentation or complete an assessment test. Your test scores can help us determine the best English and math starting classes for you. See the Test Score Course Placement Chart
If you submitted assessment documentation during the application process, your advisor will likely be able to work with those documents to determine course placement and you won't need to take any further steps. If you don't have any of those documents or the scores don't meet minimum thresholds, don’t worry! Your advisor will direct you to complete our freeKnowledge Assessment to help develop your customized learning path to better prepare you for courses.
(6) Register for Classes
Once you have completed the steps above, you may register for classes. Ivy Tech students register for courses using the Schedule Builder tool which can be accessed withinMyIvy. If you are a new, first-time Ivy Tech student, we recommend that you meet withyour advisor who will help you develop your Academic Completion Plan and help you sign up for courses that are the best fit for you.
For a complete list of registration steps, including detailed registration steps, deadlines, and information about holds, withdrawals, waitlists, and refunds, visit our Registration 101 page.
(7) Pay Your Tuition
After registering for your courses, your bill can be viewed in yourMyIvy account > Student Dashboard- > View/Pay Balance. Payments can also be made in your MyIvy account. For complete information about payments, including payment options, payment plans, how to make immediate payments, due dates, information about refunds, and more, visit our Payments page.
Chelsea Rood-Emmick MSW, LSW Department Chair, Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Legal and Paralegal Studies Associate Professor of Human Services (812) 330-6206 crood1@ivytech.edu
Chris Kiefer Dean, School of Business, Logistics & Supply Chain; School of Public Affairs & Social Services; School of Information Technology 812-429-1449 ckiefer@ivytech.edu
Madison Advising Center
590 Ivy Tech Drive
Madison, IN 47250
Fax 812-265-4028
Zoom Video Calls Available by appointment only. Call 812-256-2580, ext. 4502 to make an appointment.
Advising Team Tricia Miracle 812-265-2580 ext. 4137 tmiracle2@ivytech.edu Text during business hours 812-510-3844 Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours: Wednesdays 9:00am-1:00pm & Thursdays 2:00pm-5:30pm Zoom Link
Lisa Kelley 812-265-2580 ext. 4163 lkelley3@ivytech.edu Text during business hours 502-414-1597 Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours: Tuesdays 1:30pm-5:00pm & Thursdays 8:30am-12:00pm Zoom Link
Starting Oct. 28th Tuesdays: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All other days by appointment from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. **Special Saturday December 7 @ 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
1 Source: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage estimates: Indiana.(2023). Lightcast™, lightcast.io. Occupational Overview for Indiana, 2023-2024
2 Associate degree cost is determined by tuition for an in-state, full-time student. Certificate and technical certificate costs are determined by tuition for an in-state, part-time student. Additional fees may be applied. Visit the Tuition & Fees page to learn more.
acriswell14@ivytech.edu
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